The massacre at the Deligrad bridge - attack on a refugee convoy

On 12 April 1999, one of the most horrific crimes of the NATO aggression took place - the bombing of a column of Albanian refugees near the village of Meja close to Đakovica.

Tractor bomb

A NATO aircraft repeatedly bombed a column of tractors on which refugees - mostly Kosovo Albanians - were fleeing the conflict. Cluster bombs were used.

Terrible toll

73 civilians were killed:

• 16 children (the youngest 18 months old)
• 34 women
• 23 men (most over 60 years old)

NATO denial and admission

NATO first denied the event, then accused Serbian forces, only to finally, faced with the evidence, admit a "mistake". General Wesley Clark stated: "I regret it, it is an unintended incident."

Testimonies

Survivors described how the pilots flew over the convoy several times before the attack. They could clearly see that the targets were civilians.